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Weekend A La Carte (May 2)

First off, my thanks goes to The Elisha Foundation for sponsoring the blog this week. Be sure to check out their new and free video-based training for individuals and churches.

Today’s Kindle deals include some excellent classics. Meanwhile, Logos users will probably want to download this month’s free book, a commentary on Isaiah. Perhaps also check out their monthly sale.

(Yesterday on the blog: Finding the Right Hills to Die On; note that Westminster Books has this book on sale.)

5 Insights Into Your Feelings Under Lockdown

Peter Mead: “As we live through this lockdown, we are being given a unique opportunity to observe ourselves under different and difficult circumstances. It is as if we are in a laboratory, with lots of normal elements taken out of our lives. What we may be discovering is that we are experiencing emotions in a way that we are normally too busy to notice.”

Mincaye Is Now with Jesus

Randy Alcorn shares the news. “On Tuesday afternoon, Mincaye, the former warrior who in 1956 speared to death Nate Saint and Ed McCully, two of the five missionary martyrs in Ecuador, passed from this life to the next. A member of the once fierce Huaorani tribe, Mincaye had come to Christ, and was a transformed man, a delightful brother who was a joy to be with.”

Corona Blues

There are some really helpful resources here for individuals and organizations, though the primary audience is pastors. “Rather than being a restful break from the normal round of meetings and commitments this time has felt pressured and fretful. How can shepherds really know what is happening amongst the flock when we are physically separated from them? It’s no wonder that emotions have fluctuated.”

Why Evangelicals Must Engage Roman Catholicism

Leonardo De Chirico: “As I speak to different audiences and at various conferences, the question comes back over and over again: why should Evangelicals bother engaging Roman Catholicism? Let me suggest four reasons.”

We Are All Shut-Ins Now: 3 Lessons I Don’t Want to Forget About Ministry to Shut-Ins

“We are all shut-ins now. We are home but we have found just how exhausting it can be to be home all of the time. The daily grind begins to get at us mentally and socially in a way we never expected. We are restricted, but hopefully we have learned some empathy in our restrictions.”

Few Churches Gathered, More Moved Online in April

Facts & Trends rounds up some interesting data from Lifeway Research on how churches have changed and adapted in the past two months. As 2020 dawned, could anyone have imagined a scenario in which only 4% of American churches would meet on Sunday, April 19?

Pastoring in a Pandemic

9Marks is putting together a collection of articles about pastoring in a pandemic. They’ve got articles for pastors facing burnout, pastors who are live-streaming (and who are not live-streaming), for churches who are wondering how to celebrate communion, and so on.

Flashback: If Only I Had Been Saved By Merit!

One of the hardest tasks for every Christian is to deeply believe and forever remember that we’ve been saved by grace. One of the sweetest disciplines for every Christian is to meditate upon the grace that God extends to the undeserving.

God cares much more about our character than about our competencies. He cares much more about our works being good works—works done in holiness, in love for others—than about the sheer volume of works we accomplish.

—Geoff Robson

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    A La Carte (May 20)

    A La Carte: The foibles and fallibility of Christian leaders / Mental illness / Why didn’t Christ come sooner? / When it’s okay to die / Spiritual formation / and more.

  • Unlock Your Ministry Potential with Microcredentials

    Are you looking for accessible faith-based resources that can help you serve your church community with confidence? Check out Redeemer University’s online church leadership microcredentials—available anytime, anywhere. #Sponsored

  • Discernment

    What Does a Discerning Person Do?

    Some Christians seem to be specially gifted when it comes to spiritual discernment. Others take a special interest in discernment and expend the hard effort of growing in the discipline of it. But they may sometimes wonder: What should I do with this discernment?

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    A La Carte (May 19)

    A La Carte: Dangers of theological controversy / No confidence? No problem! / The goodness of gardening friends / Jeff the low stakes prophet / Hurting people / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Prayer

    The Reward They Longed for They Received

    Jesus, who knew what was in the heart of men, warned of the hypocrisy of those whose prayer life is only ever public. “When you pray,” he said, “you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen…

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    Weekend A La Carte (May 17)

    A La Carte: Generalizations are not stereotypes / Hospitality and reaching the dechurched / Essential lessons for pastors / The rise of Islam and the resilience of the church / Gossip and godly church / Fear takes you where grace has not yet gone / and more.